Legends
by GinnyPig
Summary: The Legend of Hyne. Vague and mysterious, who was he? The Legend of Vascaroon is the only information ever recorded. Why did the people revolt? The story investigates the Legend of Vascaroon.....
1. Prologue

**Legends**

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**Prologue**

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The night was dark and cold, the only light emitted from the half moon. Vascaroon walked, quiet and methodical through the dense forest area. He had abandoned his chocobo a day ago and was now doing the long journey by foot. The woods was an unforgiving place, thick branches and thorn bushes had to be hacked away by his sword and his progress was slow. Tired and worn out from his trek, he decided to make camp. Within minutes, he found a little hill clear from the thick vegetation, a ten metre radius to move, enough to manoeuvre in case he had to fight. A large stone rested at the top and he made camp, lighting a small fire underneath. Taking his pack, laying it up against the rock, he drifted to sleep.

"_Vascaroon__…__my love, rest.__"_Chayel? My sweet, Chayel how can I hear you? Her voice was angelic, a harp playing a low, comforting tune played in the background. A white light appeared in his mind, the light changed slowly, an outline of a woman started to appear.

"Chayel?" Vascaroon's wanted to sound strong but the words were said in whisper.

_"She isn't alive, you know this, awake now!"_ The voice was harsh and cold, snapping him back to reality. The image disappeared and Vascaroon was alone, the hard rock against the side of his face. Lethargy reeked in his muscles, pleading for more sleep, the harp continued to play in his mind and he tried to drift back to sleep. Within a second of his eyes closed, a nearby rustle, the sound faint and barely audible, awoke him. To his trained ears, he could make out that whatever it was, was sneaking up on him. He stirred, pretending to be asleep, his hand curling round his hidden dagger, inside his dark cloak.

"Did you cast sleep?" a female voice whispered.

"Shhh! You may awaken him." another replied. Their steps were quiet and were approaching where he slept. A sword hissed from it's scabbard, Vascaroon leapt up, his dagger catching the moonlight and slicing the first attackers throat. Blood garbled from her wound, the sword dropping, she frantically pressed her fingers to stop the bleeding. The second attacker let out a slow moan and dropped her blade.

"Please, I am unarmed." her voice pleaded.

"Why are you attacking me?" Vascaroon kept his dagger aimed at the second attackers throat. They were both female and they both wore black cloaks with the hood covering their hair.

"On Hyne's orders. We are Arcani." Vascaroon gripped his dagger tighter. The Arcani were the warlord Hyne's, magic warriors. All were female and all knew the dark art of sorcery.

"Dark magic, eh? What spell am I under now to be letting you live?" He pressed his knife closer towards her throat till a speck of blood trickled down her slender neck.

"You are protected from our magic, somehow? Please let me heal my partner." His icy blue eyes meet her light green.

"No, she tried to kill me and therefore she deserves to die."

"I have information that may aid you."

"What possible information could you have of use to me?" he asked, loosing the dagger slightly.

"Hyne prepares for war on the Zebalga tribe. Your journey route will take you days which you don't have. We used an ancient path which makes you bypass the forest. I will lead you to it if you let her live."

"How can I trust you?"

"Because I keep my word. Please." Vascaroon sheathed the dagger, allowing the woman to step into a false sense of security. While she crouched, he would slit her throat too.

"_Trust her, Vascaroon. She doesn__'__t lie I sense it.__"_The harsh voice came back.

"Who are you_?__"_Vascaroon asked the voice.

"_All we be revealed when you meet the Zebalga tribe.__"_The voice replied. It was a female voice, whomever it was, also knew sorcery. _"__Maybe you are Arcani?__"_Vascaroon thought to himself_._

"_No, else I would let them have killed you. I protect you from their magic.__"_

Vascaroon gazed at the female Arcani trying to heal her partner. Studying her movements, never letting her out of his sight. The green eyed female pushed her hood back showing long black hair, her pale complexion, like that of a ghost, shone in the moonlight. Her features were pretty, a slender face with high cheekbones and a small pointy nose. Vascaroon could not believe the beauty. Rumour had it that the Arcani had rotten flesh and some say they had no eyes but hers shone such a lovely bright green. The Arcani knelt beside her dying partner and put her left hand against her forehead. A blue bubble of light formed in her right hand, then transformed in colour to white before disappearing into the body of her partner. Vascaroon peered over the Arcani and was shocked to see that the cut had healed. The injured Arcani shot up her pale grey eyes staring angrily at him.

"You fool! Why did you agree to help him. Angelin! Hyne, will have our heads for this!" She flicked her gaze away from Vascaroon and turned to her partner.

"He would have let you die and would have killed me also. Would you rather I let you die?" Angelin shot back.

"We are as good as dead anyway. Hyne is unforgiving." She sat down by the large rock and sighed, her anger fading. Vascaroon noticed that she was older than Angelin and her skin was heavily wrinkled by the forehead yet Vascaroon knew that she was beautiful once. The same high cheekbones as Angelin but she had a more prominent nose. She pushed back her hood, letting her white hair flow down to her shoulders and she sat in silence.

"We could run from Hyne?" Angelin meekly put in.

"Run from a god, Angelin. Come on, I taught you better than that? Even if we did run, where could we go? We are Arcani and would be slaughtered in any tribe for being Sorceresses. "

"What about our deal? Show me the path, I will be on my way." Vascaroon interrupted.

"We will guide you to the outskirts of the Zebalga tribe but can take you no further." the old Arcani replied. She cast a dirty look toward Angelin and began to walk away.

"I thank you for letting her live. Her name is Magroon." Angelin gave a quick smile and began to trot off.

Vascaroon grabbed his pack, draping the black cloak over his shoulder, he adjusted his black jerkin and began to walk after the Arcani.

"_You can trust the young one, Angelin. But watch out for the old one, Magroon. She will back stab you both for Hyne and she is a powerful one.__"_the voice whispered in his head.


	2. Chapter 1

**C****hapter 1**

Angelin stalked behind the silent Magroon. The last hour had puzzled her. The sleep spell should have worked and he should have been easy kill, within a few seconds it had all changed. Vascaroon had sliced the throat of Magroon and had threatened her with death. There was no doubt in Angelin's mind now, that Vascaroon was as dangerous as Hyne had warned them. A killer of babes and woman, whose tribe had scarified humans for their fake gods. Yet he had let her live?

The silence between the group was uncomfortable for Angelin, the only sound emitting from the crickets and the odd rustle from a tree. Angelin gazed at Vascaroon, a tall dark man, he was clad in a black garment that she didn't recognise, cut at the sleeves, it had a logo of a bird of some kind. His blue eyes gaze met hers. She turned away and followed Magroon. The older Arcani had been in a foul mood since the failed attack.

"Magroon, how long more?" Angelin strolled beside her.

"Get away from me, stupid child!" she hissed under her breath. Angelin was shocked at the harshness in her voice. Magroon always had an fuse which could blow up at any stage. Failure was not an option with Magroon.

"What would you have had me do?" Angelin asked meekly.

"Attacked him or died in doing so."

"So you would prefer to be T-Rexaur dinner right about now?" Angelin pale cheeks became flushed with anger.

"Listen coward! Our orders was to kill any survivors from the attack, not lead them to the safe haven of Zebalga. Hyne will know our failure and strike us down."

"I'm not going back!" Angelin interrupted.

"Oh you stupid girl, where will Arcani be accepted? You think this killer will help you?"

"He let you live."

"For his own purpose. Can you not see once we reach Zebalga he will kill us. Our magic will not work on this one and I am still too weak to think of anything." Magroon sighed and fell silent.

----

Vascaroon was beginning to tire and his belly rumbled. The group had travelled for nearly two hours now. No sightseeing, just tree's and more tree's. Vascaroon thought about the recent events. His tribe, the Raci, had always suspected Hyne's ambitions for expansion and had a wall constructed of wood to surround their settlement. About fifty Raci warriors defended against two hundred strong of Hyne. The Arcani were brutal, hidden by their black hoods, on the flanks of the battle, launching magic attacks. The Raci were brave and valiant but ultimately defeated. Vascaroon had fled when all was lost, he managed to kill the men who guarded the escape route and took off. Arguing ahead snapped him back to reality, The Arcani were exchanging heated words, Angelin, the young one stormed away from Magroon and strolled beside Vascaroon, her pale complexion was red as cherry. Vascaroon gazed ahead. The path he was walking, was well hiding by the thick vegetation and he would never have discovered it in the dark of night. The path was windy but he was satisfied not to be in the thick of the forest.

"Why did you let me live?" His thoughts were interrupted by the Arcani's question.

"The path we are walking now, is the only reason you are both alive." Vascaroon saw a glimpse of disappointment in the pretty face of the Arcani. Her head bowed down.

"Oh. What will become of us when you reach Zebalga?" she asked timidly.

"You will go your way and I will go mine." he replied. Vascaroon's belly rumbled loudly to his embarrassment. "I think we should make camp. Go tell your friend." Angelin ran up towards Magroon who merely stopped and sat down on the muddy path. Quiet rage burned in the old Arcani's eyes. Vascaroon went into his pack and unfolded a piece of Imp meat. The purple Imp's were a delicacy for the Raci tribe. Easy to hunt and kill, the Imp were a horrible looking creature, their skin scaled, miscoloured with purple, green and red. Underneath the tough skin their wasn't a finer meat. With his dagger, Vascaroon hacked a few branches from a nearby leafy tree. Skinning the stem of it's leaves, the Raci warrior broke the thin branches and began to line them up around a circle of stones, forming them up like a tepee. Vascaroon went back into his pack and looked for his flint.

"Allow me." Angelin formed a fireball in her hand and lit the bottom of the branched tepee. The flames licked the sticks and the small fire blazed, a thin line of smoke lifted toward the sky. Vascaroon finally grabbed the Imp meat in and placed it on one of the rocks beside the fire. The meat began to sizzle after a few minutes and the air was thick with the smell of the tasty meat. Vascaroon grabbed his dagger and pierced it through the cooked meat and began to chew. Tough and a bit overdone but none the less delicious.

"Savages." Magroon spat under her breath, gazing at Vascaroon with piercing grey eyes.

"It smells quite good." Angelin admitted, the scent strong in her nostrils. Magroon turned over, her head shaking. She pulled her black cloak over herself and began to sleep.

"Here take a bite." Vascaroon hearing the conversation from across the fire, threw a hefty chunk of the meat to Angelin. The young Arcani inspected it, the texture felt like leather. It was brown in colour and was blackened on top. She took a bite, the juice trickling down her face. She smiled sheepishly, wiping it away with her black sleeve. They ate in silence for a while before tiredness took over and Angelin drifted to sleep.

----

Angelin was woken by a sudden shaking of her body. Staring sleepily up, she was shocked to see Magroon peering over her. The Arcani was bleary eyed and looked like she hadn't slept at all.

"Shhh! We are leaving, come on!" she whispered harshly.

"What! How?" Angelin replied a bit louder than expected.

"You fool! Keep your voice down. The Raci savage is sound asleep. We can escape through the forest and from there, we can go back to Hyne."

Angelin stumbled up, red eyed and tired, she lifted her cloak of her body and wrapped it round her slender shoulders, placing the hood over her head. The sky was beginning to brighten, purple in colour, some stars were still there but their light beginning to weaken against the brighter sky. Leaden clouds up above, promised rain later but for now the air was chill.

Everything was happening so fast, thought Angelin. Memories of Vascaroon's speed, in which he delivered the killing blow to Magroon, scared her.

"Maybe we should stay." Angelin said meekly.

"Child, you are scared I know this but if we stay, he will kill us. Better die serving Hyne than to die serving Raci savages. Come we have little time." Even though she was whispering, her voice rang with authority. With little choice, Angelin rubbed her tired eyes and began to tip toe beside Magroon. The old Arcani was her mentor, thought her every magic she knew now. Fire, Ice and Healing Magic. Their were the only types that she had perfected whilst Magroon had learned every type. The couple took a cut through the woods, careful not to rustle the thick shrubbery and awake Vascaroon. The dense forest was perilous, branches cut holes in their black cloaks and covered their bodies in welts and small grazes. They had journeyed for only a half an hour and they were both weary.

"Where will we go?" Angelin asked.

"Back to Hyne and we will tell him that we failed in getting a survivor, that he was protected by the magic."

"He is going to kill us isn't he?" Angelin began to sob silently.

"No he won't cause he will want to know how a man can survive our attacks."

"But you said that he would have our heads for this." Angelin began to try stifling the sobbing, resulting in her chest heaving in and out.

"I know what I said!" snapped Magroon. "You have a lot to learn child. I told Vascaroon that so he would believe that we had nowhere to go but follow him. If he believed that, it would make our escape easier."

"How to do we get back to Hyne?" Angelin asked. The sobbing ceasing, her confidence slightly restored.

"We have journeyed for about an half an hour away from the path. Vascaroon will head north toward Zebalga and we will journey through the woods for today and then cut west back towards the path and eventually back to Raci."

----

Vascaroon lay still, his head rested on his pack. The black cloak flung round him, give little warmth. He looked across at the sleeping Angelin. Her hands tucked in under her cloak, which also wrapped around her shoulders. She lay still by the dying fire. Such a meek person, how could she be Arcani? Hyne's magic warlords were a devastating force that the Raci had prepared nearly a year for. Vascaroon had nearly spent a whole year planning the defence of his former tribe. Former? The words stung his heart. He had failed them. The wooden walls gave better defence and also inflicted more causalities but didn't change the result. Wiped out, woman and children killed while their fathers and husbands were slain by magic and swords. How was Angelin capable of such acts? Since they had met, she was a cheerful enough character, quiet and a bit clumsy but none the less, good-natured. He gazed over at Magroon. Now she was different. A devious look spread across her face. She hadn't said a word to Vascaroon expect to call his people savages. We weren't savages, Hyne was the savage. The so called god had expanded his empire over the lands, destroying everything in sight. Few tribes were left; the Zebalga, Yana and Cent. If they fell, Hyne would rule all the tribes on the region. Feeling weary, he drifted to sleep.

_The sky was a brilliant blue, clouds floating like white pillows. The sun shone a luminous orange, giving a hazy look to the distant grey peaks. Chayel stood, her white knee length dress blowing in the cool breeze. Vascaroon looked around confused. _

"_Where am I? This is not real.__"__ he stuttered. _

"_My lovely Vascaroon, this is a dream.__"__ He gazed at Chayel__'__s beautiful full lips. _

"_I don__'__t want to wake up ever.__"__ he trotted towards the love of his life. _

"_But you will have to my love.__"__ her voice sounded angelic and every word echoed in his head._

"_No I don__'__t want to! I__'__m sorry, I didn__'__t mean for you to die!__"_

"_I know but there was nothing you could have done. You were protecting hundreds of people at the time.__"__ Chayel glided towards him, her bare feet looked like they were floating on nothing. She drew Vascaroon into her breast and rubbed his head gently. _

"_I failed in protecting our people, Chayel. I failed.__"__ he began to sob._

"_Don__'__t cry, there was nothing you could have done differently. The result would have been the same.__"_

"_I should have died with them. Not fled when I knew all was lost!__"__ he became angry at himself._

"_You are a survivor and that is what you do best. Don__'__t burden yourself with other people.__"_

"_I must, Chayel. I have to stop Hyne and his expansion. For the sake of freedom.__"_

"_Do what you must but beware my love. There are dark forces collaborating your downfall. Survive for me! Vascaroon looked up from her breast to see that she had gone but her voice rang in his ears. _He awoke to find the Arcani gone.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

King Zebalga sat on his throne, his big black hands gnarled round the golden chair rest. He tapped his huge fat fingers on the gold, contemplating to himself. The prophecy was upon his tribe.

"A Warlord will rise, his magic skin cast, demons will unearth from stone and the world will end." he muttered the words to himself, his voice deep, a gurgling like he spoke with a mouthful of water. A skinny servant to his left offered him red berries, declining he ushered her away. Before she was out the hut, he called her back.

"Bring me the old woman of a thousand worlds." The servant; a pretty girl merely bowed and walked away. She would be a good eighth wife he thought to himself. Things had been easy for Zebalga for too long. Middle aged now he felt weariness in his bones and needed servants more and more often, to do his menial tasks. A war was the last thing he wanted. Zebalga was a rich land, full of monsters who were easy kill and delicious to eat. No wonder, Hyne wanted his land. The Zebalga tribe had it all. Gold and food a plenty and were right next to a fresh water lake. If Hyne took over, he could feed his vast army resulting in the rest of the tribes on the continents doom. He stared at his hut, from the outside it looked normal, a wall made from wood and the roof curved at the top was made from leaves meshed together and tied by imp skin. The only expectation from the rest of the tribes people houses was the wood was painted gold and the giant gold chair he sat in, which stood proud in the centre of the room.

"You called King?" the old woman hobbled over. She was of small build, brown in skin colour. She had long black dreadlocks with grey haired tips at the end. Her eyes were dull and hollow, almost colourless and her mouth was all gum.

"Yes. I have a question. When is this Vascaroon due?" the king was inpatient to say the least. If a man named Vascaroon did show up, all of this woman had said could very well be true.

"He should be hear soon. The Arcani have left his camp and escaped. I think he may try follow them. That I am unsure of."

"Tell him to leave them and get over here as quick as he can!" he bellowed his order.

"As you wish." the old woman closed her eyes and hummed to herself. A bright white light engulfed her. King Zebalga thought his eyes were playing tricks as it appeared that for a split second, she had changed into a beautiful woman. My eyes most be getting old he thought sourly. After what seemed like an eternity which only heightened his anger, the white light dimmed and she opened her eyes. The pupils diluted and for a moment sparked brown before returning to there lifeless colour of black.

"Well." he asked coolly, masking his impatience.

"He will be here soon and he will bring the Arcani with him." she replied.

"I thought you said the Arcani escaped?" his big brown eyes narrowed at her. He extended his giant frame and leaned forward in his chair, he looked like a giant bear ready to pounce on his victim.

"Know this king. I am here to help your tribe and your world. If my help is not needed then go fight your war on your own. I told him to track the Arcani and bring them here. You will need to learn your enemies for the upcoming battle. Arcani have never lost a battle for Hyne and there magic can be quite powerful. I will need to see how powerful it is. "

"Can't you just link with an Arcani like you do with this Vascaroon?" he asked, still suspicious.

"Linking to a persons mind, I see all there memories, I almost live their life, I feel their emotions. Arcani are evil and their memories vile. I fear if I linked with them that I may not come back the same person."

"I don't understand this! I don't understand you!" The king bellowed, he inspected the face of the old woman, noticing the wrinkles creased on the forehead, the missing teeth.

"Know this, my goal is to help this world. I have travelled many worlds and seen many things. I have teleported to a place where there is no tree's or rivers, merely giant constructs that do there work for them. I have travelled to places were it is just nature and animals, no humans. In all of them something evil happens which I try prevent. The constructs in one world fought back and rebelled against the humans. The nature world was attacked by a giant meteor, could have destroyed all of the nature kingdom. If it weren't for me that is!"

"How did you helped this nature world?"

"It took me years to recover from it and my power has never recovered. I was bed-stricken on the world for many years and many other worlds got destroyed without my supervision." she let out a sigh, her gaze distant.

"What did you do?" Zebalga asked, trying to feign disinterest.

"I stop the meteor with my mind. I linked with the meteor and altered it's course to just miss the helpless planet. It took it's toll on my body."

"Hence why you cannot link with Hyne and alter him?" Zebalga reasoned.

"I cannot take over one's body, just place suggestions in their head, my power diminishes every day that passes."

"Yet you can still travel through worlds?" Zebalga asked.

"This may be my last travel." she slumped her head down. "I fear I may die on this planet."

"You are dismissed." the king waved his hand. The woman bowed and left. Within minutes, the King's advisor, Mohin, clad in a skirt made from Adamantoise hide, it was very long and extended to his sandaled feet. The _isidwaba_ as it was called. As was custom in Zebalga tribes, he knelt before the king and kissed the ground.

"What did the woman of a thousand worlds say?" he asked. The king gazed at the sheer mass of tattoo's on Mohin's bare body, all in black barely visible through his brown chocolate skin. They weaved around his body in a mass of line's and designs.

"She told stories of other worlds and then told me, she will die here." Mohin strolled up frowning beside the king, he took a seat without asking, much to the Kings agitation.

"I don't trust her, King. She tells of these worlds yet has no possessions or anything to show us." Mohin extended his chiselled and ripped body. The king stared with envy at the perfect sculptured body but it was hard not to like Mohin, loyalty and a good head was necessary for a King's advisor, Mohin had both in abundance.

"Ah yes Mohin, but she also said that she cannot transfer goods from world to the next. We wait out for this Vascaroon character, if he doesn't make it by ten night falls we will imprison her." Mohin shuffled in the chair, gazing out of the hut's entrance. "What bothers you Mohin?"

"She may be listening to us speak." he began to whisper. "The tribe grow weary of her presence. It unnerves them but it also entices others." he paused to let the words sink in.

"Entice, how?" the king demanded.

"People believe that she can save us from Hyne and they also believe she can see the future. More and more people believe she is a god, she is developing quite a few followers."

"She hasn't done a thing expect glow white!" he slammed his fist on the gold throne. "I have fought wars for this place, my ancestors brought us to this fruitful land and this is how I am repaid?"

"King, I will keep an eye on developments, it may be nothing." Mohin knew the King's quick fire temper and ability to blow a situation out of proportion. But Mohin knew the risks with this new woman also. She could be a Hyne spy.

"What would I do without you Mohin?" Zebalga asked, patting his advisor on the shoulder. Mohin merely nodded and gave a quick smile.

"How is the army?"

"Five hundred, tough eyed and strong heart. Not a better bunch to go to war with." Mohin smiled and talked more feverously. War was one of Mohin's prime hobbies. The tactic's, the opponents strengths and weakness, the formations. All of it excited Mohin. He also enjoyed the one on one combat and nobody was better than he with the Axe. The axe was the weapon of choice for the Zebalgas . In times of great need it could be thrown at the enemy, in fact every soldier carried three in their _Isidwaba_.

"Some good news but how do you prepare for the Arcani?" the king asked.

"It is a challenge but I will find the answer. As of yet, I have found out nothing. If only we could see how they work their magic works, I could make a plan."

"You may be in luck if the woman is right, this Vascaroon will bring two Arcani woman with him."

"Hmm…How can one man take down two Arcani soldiers?" Mohin walked of his seat and looked lost in thought. Finally he turned round to face Zebalga. "If he can defend magic, then we must be able too. I hope this woman does not lie or else we should slay her."

"Mohin, We will do everything in our power to defeat our enemies, even hold on to foolish notions but I will not place my hopes on a transporting woman and a man who couldn't even save his own tribe."

----

The old woman of a thousand worlds left the agitated King and returned to her hut. As she walked past, she sensed the violent sprit that is Mohin. The man loved violence and was a tough character but even he watched his steps around the woman, out of fear of her or the fear that he might do something to her, she did not know. Her hut was comfortable even though it was hastily built, about half the size of the palace hut. Sitting down on the floor she stared in a roughly carved mirror and sighed. Looking at her reflection, she ran her frail hand around her face, a rubbery texture, it disgusted her. Her once brown eyes were now a deep hollow black and her once beautiful white teeth were no more replaced by gums. A clay bowl sat in the middle of the hut next to her makeshift bed, she hobbled over seeing it half full with water she drank deeply. Gazing round the room, she liked the space. She had no need for material possessions, in fact besides a bed and her mirror, there was little else in the room. She walked back to the mirror and returned to examine her old features. We a quick flick of her hand, the reflection shimmered and the face of a beautiful girl stared back. The cheekbones high, her eyes bright and green, full of life, her hair blonde and silky flowed to her white slender shoulders. She looked like a goddess.

"Hmm, I think I prefer brown eyes." And so, we a flick of her right hand, the reflection's eye colour changed to brown. A tingling along the back of her neck alerted her to a nearby presence. The old woman flicked her hand casually and awaited the servant whom she could hear chattering outside. At the door of the hut, the servant now kept her mouth closed and merely bowed and took the bowl. A pretty girl, thought the old woman that she smiled her once again gum less month, the servant returned the smile.

"Anything else, my lady?"

"Call me Elix." the old woman replied.

"Okay,…Elix." once again the servant smiled.

"Can I ask you name?"

"My name is Hanera." she replied. Hanera began to fix the old woman's bed, it was like every other Zebalga tribesmen resting place, with multiple cushions and a few blankets in the centre of the hut.

"Hanera, how does one become a servant?" Elix asked.

"By one's beauty I imagine. I may look young but I know how the world revolves." she spoke with a hint of bitterness.

"Such venom? Is Zebalga not a good king?" she enquired.

"This conversation is straying into territory that I cannot talk about. I have a fresh garment here for you." Hanera unfolded a brown dress made from Behemoth hide. The material was tough and leathery. As was Zebalga custom, the young women wore just a brown leather bikini top and a knee length_ isidwaba_, the older women wore a brown dress that covered most of the body leaving just the skin of the elbow to the hand bare.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to offend." Elix said casually.

"You don't need to apologise. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No but I would like you to say here for a few moments. I will be attempting something dangerous and I may need your support afterwards."

"Certainly." Hanera cast a nervous glance towards the old woman. Walking over to the hut door, she checked outside . She glanced at the Zebalga settlement from above it. The old woman's hut, was on top of a hill which loomed down at the tribes people. The women were preparing water for their husbands who were chopping wood or bringing their sons out to the lake to teach them to fish. The tribe was always busy, working from the mourning till late into the evening. Expect the King that is. The fat king just sat in his throne all day, doing nothing but getting rewarded with everything. Hanera strolled back over to Elix. The old woman lay on the bed pulsating a blue light which dispersed into thin air. Her body convulsed briefly and a low humming filled her ears. The body was still now, with the humming faint in the background. Hanera couldn't explain it but she felt a presence for a short time and then nothing.

----

Certainly was the last word Elix heard. She rested her head back on the cushions of her bed and begin to say a rhythmic mantra to herself. Her body began to feel heavy and worn out and then their was a loud noise, like popcorn popping in her ear. She felt the shackles of her physical body disappear and her spirit energy replenish at the release. She was now at one with everything around as she floated, relaxed without a care in the world, high in the blue sky. Before her adventure had barely start, she was high above the Zebalga tribe settlement. They were so small like ant's, walking round busy in their jobs and providing for the King, unbeknownst they were being watched by her. She glided down into the palace and saw angry Mohin talking in whispersto the King.

"She could be listening to us speak." He gazed directly at her, his big brown eyes piercing through her invisibility. He can't see me, she thought confidently and started wandering back up in to the sky.

"Better check on Vascaroon." She glided her arms out, pretending to fly like a bird. It reminded her of her biggest success story, The Nature's World. The place was definitely her favourite world that she had visited. She had enjoyed the warmth and the love that was everywhere around, in the beautiful multicoloured flowers, the rainbows that sprang across the sky and the sunshine that bore down on her young naked body every day. Now she was in a new world, her power failing, the cold bitter nights, her body grotesque and old, the flowers chopped down and harvested for food and most importantly the animals. Humans really were the most violent race she had ever met. In all the world she had visited, the most need was for humans and they were also the most selfish, chopping away at the planet without a care of how long it had taken to grow. They just didn't appreciate beauty.

"Don't think negatively, you are here to help them even if they are foolish and violent in their ways." she sternly told herself. Peering out towards the giant forest, that lay about 3 miles away from the Zebalga settlement. She felt an evil presence linger around, it's aura black and malevolent. A fear started in her belly, an unaccustomed feeling only added to her unease. Now she felt naked in the air, her head felt dizzy and light. Elix could see the thick shrubbery of the tree's and then the voice came with no warning.

"Diablos." the voice hissed in her ear and she was snapped back into reality.


	4. Chapter 3

**C****hapter 3**

Angelin was depressed as she stalked through the woods. The sharp branches had scratched every part of her body and nasty red welts were across her legs. Her flowing black dress and cloak gave little protection to her body. Magroon walked ahead of her with speed and determination, every so often shouting an order to Angelin to pick up the pace.

"Come on, hurry up." Magroon shouted.

"I need rest." Angelin stumped down on a rock and put her head in her hands. A couple of minutes later, Magroon crunching steps could be heard coming towards her.

"If we rest, he will finds us." she said simply.

"I don't care. He isn't following us, he is probably close to Zebalga by now!" Angelin shot back.

"Better to be safe than sorry, Angelin. You have much to learn about the ways of violent men and war. I know this is your first assignment and it didn't go as you expected but once you acquire experience, it will become easier."

"I don't want this. I am not breed for war and I know violent men!" Angelin shot her head up, looking pleadingly into Magroon's eyes.

"You were chosen and you had the gift. It was your destiny to be an Arcani." Magroon said coolly. Chosen, thought Angelin. Every Arcani was picked from teenage years when they showed signs of the gift of magic. In teenage years, with emotions boiling, magic could sprout out in different ways: a temper tantrum could accidentally cause fire magic, anxiety causing ice magic, the most revealing was the fact they never got sick due to the healing energy in their bodies. Angelin's teenage years were hard, her mother and father had a nice wooden hut in Tatin before Hyne had taken it over and called it Ethar. At fifteen, Angelin was talking to a young boy, he seemed nice and charming and most importantly interested in her which had not happened often. The young boy asked her to the Tatin festival. Her cheeks had gone red and in her heightened emotions, released a bio spell that struck the boy. She clearly remembered the green energy releasing from her hand and forming into a bubble before dispersing into the boys body. He didn't seem to notice anything but within a day grew very sick and couldn't go to the festival. Angelin since then had become quiet and reserved, forming a wall between her and the world and when the kid came back to ask her out again, he was met with a resounding no. The next incident wasn't till she was seventeen. She was simply walking the cobbled pathway into Ethar after a journey to get some water when one of Hyne's warriors came into view.

"_Any chance of a go love?__"__ he asked crudely._

"_No.__"__ Angelin responded, she put her head down and tried to walk away in a hurry._

"_Hey wait up a second. I need to ask a few questions.__"__ Angelin stopped as the warrior walked beside her. __"__ Where are you going?__"_

"_Just on my way home now, sir.__"_

"_Sir? I like that.__"__ Suddenly the man, grabbed her by her black hair and threw her into a nearby bush. Angelin hit the ground hard, the wind knocked from her chest, she could hardly breathe in her fear. He began to unzip his pants and in a haste tried to rip her white blouse. Her hands clawed at his, screaming he put his hands toward her mouth and thumped her in the ribs . In a terrible flash, she grabbed his hand and his body turned a pale blue and then he was encompassed in a ice cube. Shocked she began to get up when she heard a shattering of the ice and the mans body thudded of the ground. He was dead. Ethar was called into investigation and every woman was lined up in front of an old man. He took one look at a girl and then would nod. When Angelin came forward, he looked into her eyes for an eternity and then nodded her away. Relieved she woke the next day to find Magroon in her house with her parents. Angelin was getting a scholarship to a college in a place called Traia. It would be the last time Angelin would see her parents._

"Child get out of your daze and keep walking." Angelin was alerted into the present.

"Why was I taken?" she asked Magroon suddenly .

"You were taken like the rest of us."

"What if I hadn't come with you to Traia?"

"Then you would have been imprisoned for the murder of that soldier." Magroon eyes narrowed toward Angelin.

"You knew?" Angelin was shocked.

"Are you that naive? Of course Hyne knew. There was no sign of struggle, no injury to his body. Hyne knew magic was involved and had investigated it. The old man senses people with abilities. He is Hyne's shaman." Magroon explained. Angelin didn't respond and got up and started walking again. "Oh and if you ever decide to leave us Arcani, a warrant would be put out for your arrest and you would be hanged."

----

Vascaroon followed the tracks, two people walking and one lagged behind. It was definitely the tracks of the Arcani. He thought about whether to follow them or not.

"Follow them Vascaroon." a voice shot into his head. It was the same voice that had saved him from the Arcani.

"Who are you?" Vascaroon asked.

"My name is Elix. I don't have much time but follow the Arcani and bring them back to Zebalga. It is the utmost importance."

"What if I don't?" Vascaroon asked back.

"Then Hyne will destroy the Zebalga tribe. No where would be safe."

"I could just get a boat and sail to Island of Heaven?" he reasoned.

"I see into your soul Vascaroon and you will not abandon helpless people." Elix replied. Vascaroon swore to himself and began to follow the tracks. The progress was slow and he had travelled for the past four hours without a sign of the Arcani. Removing his black coat and placing on the ground, Vascaroon picked up his pack and got some leftover Imp meat and a half full water skin. With a nice rest and a full belly, he felt confident that he could sustain a long journey. A prickly sensation up his neck alerted Vascaroon to danger. Ducking in other a bush, Vascaroon left the fire from his meal burning to await any intruders. With none forthcoming, he continued his tracking. The Arcani were definitely smart and for a moment Vascaroon began to doubt the tracks were real and maybe he was being lead to a trap.

"Elix, are you there?" he thought to himself.

"Yes I am here, Vascaroon but I cannot link long as I am weary. You want t know if you are going the right way, right?"

"Yes." the Raci replied.

"You are very close to them I think." Elix hesitated.

"You think?" Vascaroon asked.

"You see I went on a spiritual journey that is how I can see where the Arcani are, it's in their aura. Magic wielders like the Arcani have a stronger aura and it is coloured black. Easy to spot in a crowd or in a forest." she hesitated for a second.

"Why can you not see them now?" Vascaroon asked.

"There is an overwhelming aura covering the Forest in red. I fear it is has masked you and the Arcani from my spirit view." Vascaroon felt a tinge of fear in his stomach.

"How is it you found me now?" he asked.

"I linked with you Vascaroon. It's completely different."

"It's different? Then why don't you just link with one of the Arcani?" Vascaroon masked his impatience. The whole magic thing was hard to understand.

"I cannot link with evil. It can change me"

"Yes I admit the Arcani are vile but Angelin is different. She is a bit more gentle from my experience with her. You could link with her." Vascaroon replied.

"I don't think you recognise the seriousness of my linking. It could change me terribly and I cannot risk the link unless I am certain of her good traits." The link began to waver and by the end of the sentence, her voice was croaked.

"Elix? Elix?" Silence was all Vascaroon could hear. What happened her? Alone, once more. He began to trot on.

----

The next few hours had been torture for Angelin. Quiet silence, she felt cold anger rising in her. She was trapped. With Vascaroon, she had a chance of freedom, to be rid of Hyne's clutches but now Magroon was guiding her back to her prison. They were less than a day's walk from going back around and finding the hidden pathway. Vascaroon was long gone, most likely in Zebalga now, sitting in a King's hut, tasting freedom for a short time before inevitably Hyne crushed them too. A powerful warlord like Hyne needed Zebalgas gold and food supply to feed and maintain his army. She knew that much at least, warriors needed to be paid, they had families to take care off, babes to cloth and feed. Did the warrior that attacked you have a family? The thought leapt suddenly into her head. She did not know, she never got a chance to go to the burial.

"Don't feel sorry for him." she thought to her herself but it was hard not too. She remembered the look of fear in his eyes when he died, his face a twist of rage and pain before the ice shattered. He could easily had a wife, getting bored he found himself free from law in a newly taking over town and decided to have a bit of fun.

"Stop making excuses for him. He was a pig!" she tore at her head as it throbbed mercifully. Releasing a cure spell, the pain eased and a tear formed in her cheek. She checked to see where Magroon was as crying grated on her. Looking up, she saw Magroon looking anxiously around the tree's.

"What is it?" Angelin asked.

"Shut your trap! Strong magic dwells up behind those tree's. They could be Arcani or somebody else."

"Who knows magic beside Arcani." she questioned but Magroon was gone behind the bushes. A low gasp caused Angelin to run towards the other Arcani

"What is it?" Angelin stopped in mid run. The sight was disturbingly odd. The forest was a haze and the sound of a low hum filled the air. What little tree's left were grotesquely turned inwards like it had separated to make a pathway. The whole scene was like a nightmare, abstract and confusing. Suddenly Angelin felt nauseas. Magroon must be feeling the same as her knee's buckled causing her to fall.

"We need to get out of here." Magroon choked. The humming began to get louder as the earth shook, a bright dark light formed in the centre of the pathway. Angelin now noticed that it wasn't a pathway but a circle. A black dot replaced the light, the dot expanded and become bigger and bigger, blowing the tree's away. Purple light swam momentarily in front of Angelin's eyes, shielding them she dropped to the ground, leaves blowing in her hair and hitting of her black cloak, she crouched into a foetus position, her knee's bent up ducked into her stomach. A moment passed which felt like an age, Angelin looked up to see a haunting sight. A giant black and red coloured Dragon stood proud and menacing in front of her. The stench of death was on him and she gagged in her throat. A leering grin formed on his hideous mouth showing yellow razor teeth, his skin was scaly like a lizard and was coloured like blood. His sharp black claws protruded from his hands like knives. He twisted his giant shelled head and narrowed his orange glowing eyes at the pair in front of him.

"Who are you and why have you summoned me from my slumber?" his voice was sibilant and harrowing . Angelin cowered further trying desperately to run but her legs were weak.

"We have….summoned you to do our bidding." Magroon weakly replied.

"Silly human, you must beat me for me to join you. Prepare for battle." Magroon slumped her shoulders before she fired a ice spell at his body. The ice bounced off his hard scaly skin and melted away. He let out a gurgling sound which may have been a laugh.

"She summoned you, not me!" Magroon desperately roared. Angelin shot a look of desperation at Magroon. The older Arcani merely glanced at Angelin fearfully and continued to speak. " Oh strong one, I apologise for my spell but I merely did it in fright."

Diablos tilted his head towards Magroon. "I smell the fear and it sickens me. I am awaking for a challenge, to find my equal and instead I am awoken by a cowering human." He arched his long clawed hands to the skin, the veins on his arms bulged with the power and a giant black bubble formed in his hands, he threw the spell toward Magroon who slumped down to the ground, her leg twitching uncontrollably.

"Now my challenger, any final words." he hissed.

"No." She sobbed. He drew his hand to the dark sky and the spell began to form. With her knee's weak, Angelin awaited her fate. The black bubble nearly formed, a whizzing noise was heard followed by a loud thud. A black feathered arrow shot through Diablos hand, he merely grunted and tore the arrow from his skin. A trickle of purple blood flowed down his arm and the bubble dispersed. Looking around Diablos sniffed the air. A second arrow shot into the air, Diablos caught it in mid flight and snapped it in half.

"Show yourself." From another direction, another arrow thudded in his back. Frustrated now Diablos let out a roar, the sound echoing through the forest scattering birds and any other wildlife. Turning round, Diablos casted a cure on himself and the blood flow stopped. Angelin felt her legs get strength and she darted away blindly towards safety.

"We will have our challenge, Human. We will meet again, I have your scent!!" A purple light shone from behind Angelin but she didn't notice as her legs carried her blindly. She could hear the screeches of bats, thousands of them but dared not to look back A whizzing noise sounded and Angelin felt a stabbing pain in her ankle. She collapsed to the ground and looked at her right ankle, blood flowed freely as a black feathered arrow jotted out from it. With a cry of pain she pulled the arrow away before casting a cure spell. The wound began to sow up and she felt all ankle stitch up. Her leg cured, she risked a look back, the forest was quiet, the horrible beast gone.

"Do not be afraid, he is gone Angelin." a familiar voice echoed

"Vascaroon!"


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"We will have our challenge, Human. We will meet again, I have your scent!!" The words chilled Angelin to the bone causing her to shiver. The young Arcani remembered the beast appearing from out of nowhere, killing Magroon and leaving a trail of destruction on the forest. She thought she was dead until Vascaroon bravely saved her. Why had he saved her after she assisted in destroying his civilisation the Raci?

"What do you want from me?" She asked with a hint of annoyance. Every man wanted something, they were all selfish.

He merely glanced at her with cold blue eyes. "I saved you, let be enough."

"It is not enough!" Angelin stormed. He wants something, everybody does. the young Arcani just wanted to be back with her parents in Ethar, enjoying the festivals and living the simple life. Not out fighting wars for selfish warlords.

"I don't know why. I merely have been told too. How far back to the pathway?" he glanced ahead, green is all that he could see and the sky was beginning to darken.

"It is about a nightfall away." Vascaroon swore under his breath.

"Let us make camp so and walk in the mourning." He began to unpack his bag, wrapping his black cloak around himself and positioning his pack under his head as a pillow. Within seconds, he was sound asleep. Sleep didn't come easy for Angelin who shivered to herself, her black dress and cloak giving little protection to the cold. Every time she did drift off. she was awoken by a nightmare about Diablos. He had found her sleeping and killed her in her sleep.

"How could Vascaroon sleep at a time like this?" she thought to herself. The night was filled with spooky sounds, far away roars from a T-Rexaur frightened Angelin. The jungle was not a safe place, full of beasts who thought of her only as a tasty supper. She remembered fondly her childhood when she was scared, her father would hug her to sleep even sometimes sleeping on the floor beside her. She cried to herself at the thoughts of her parents.

"Are you ok?" Vascaroon whispered.

"No, I am cold and I miss home." she began to sob, feeling her magic energy strengthen at her heightened emotions.

"I miss my family and home too." Vascaroon sighed.

"You have family?" she questioned.

"Yes I had a wife named Chayel."

"What happened her?" Angelin's sobbing eased at the distraction. Vascaroon was so dark and mysterious yet she felt comfortable in his demeanour.

"She died while I prepared Raci for war. I was so busy working on the defences for the War with Hyne that she took for a swim in the lake, she hurt her back on a loose rock and drowned. If I was there, she wouldn't have had to swim in the lake."

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You had nothing to do with it."

"I had if I wasn't part of Hyne army. You would never have had to prepare for war." She shivered to herself, drawing her cloak tighter around her shoulders.

"Why did you join the Arcani?" he asked.

"I didn't. We were taken away from our families in our teenage years and expected to serve for Hyne."

"So you never had a choice? Why didn't you escape?" he pressed.

"Traia and Ethar are so far apart and trust me I did try . The beatings Arcani escapee's took was more than you could imagine. The other Arcani on Hyne's whim would blast magic upon magic at you until you were weak then Hyne's Shaman, Gargon would come in and intrude on your mind, he would link with you, twisting you memories of home and spreading pain throughout your body. He told me at the end that if I ever left again that he would find me and erase all my memories. The Arcani are not a people to fear, they are merely fighting so they can remember what life was like." she turned over on the hard ground and thought fondly of the memories she had of her father, for they were all she had left and could be taken away at any time.

----

Vascaroon could not sleep after his conversation with Angelin. He could not believe he had told her of Chayel. The Raci was always a private man, never one to open up and talk willingly about his feelings. Yet the Arcani's almost childish attitude had caused Vascaroon to drop his guard. When she told him about her life as Arcani, it had changed his opinion of the young woman. She was merely a pawn in Hyne's war game and she was an unfortunate victim of his brutal regime. The man was pure evil and had turned innocent people into his slaves.

"I will take you down, Hyne." he thought to himself. Angelin began to stir and shout. He went over to the fearful woman and put his hand to her mouth. "Shh." he gently said. She took his hand and wrapped it round her body and shuffled deeper into his . Her body was freezing and Vascaroon in a moment of weakness laid his head down and drifted to sleep. Hours later, he awoke to look up a the sky. Light purple in colour the beginnings of dawn emerged. Stepping up away from Angelin, he heard the grunt of an Imp near by. Going through his pack, he opened up his pistol crossbow. The weapon was pained black, shaped like a gun except for a piece of tightened string protruding from the end of it in a semi circle fashion. A little clicking device in the handle held the string in place whilst a bolt was shifted onto to the string. The trigger released the clicking device and the bolt would shoot the target with 100% accuracy. The beauty with the weapon besides it's light weight was the ease in which you could reload and shoot, perfect for shooting multiple targets. Before the weapon was used for hunting Imp and other tasty animals but since the War this weapon had been the death to many people. Vascaroon laid down in silence waiting for the Imp to move and show his location. A nearby ruffle in a bush behind him caused Vascaroon to spin 180 degrees and shoot the target. The imp thudded on the ground, squealing as it's life ceased. Grabbing the carcass, he skinned the creature, keeping the skin as it it had a number of uses and knifing the tasty meat from inside. Satisfied that he had all the good meat, he risked a fire and began to cook. The scent must have awoken Angelin as she sniffed the air sleepily.

"Did you sleep well?" Vascaroon asked.

"Yes, for a while I kept having a nightmare about Diablos getting me in my sleep. Eventually the dream changed and you were there, lying awake keeping watch for me." she smiled at him.

"I have to get you to Zebalga then we will part ways. I will have to help with the war and destroy Hyne."

Angelin's shoulders dropped and her head bowed. "They will kill me."

"Who?"

"King Zebalga."

"What makes you think he will kill you?"

"I am Arcani. Once he finds that out, he will sacrifice me to their gods."

"I know somebody there, who will not let this happen to you. I will protect you." Vascaroon gave a short awkward smile before returning to his cooking.

"I never thanked you for saving me." Angelin caught Vascaroon off guard.

"It is no problem. Food is almost ready." He lifted his black jerkin off exposing his chiselled abs and the little white scars criss-crossing across his shoulders and arms. Grabbing two tough branches, he placed them over the glowing warm fire. "Give me your cloak."

"Why?" Angelin replied nervously, tightening the black cloak around her slim shoulders.

"Because if you don't, the cold will kill you. During the night, your cloak would have gotten wet with dampness. If you want to live in this harsh jungle, warmth is your best chance. I cannot force you, it is your decision." The young Arcani gave up her cloak and watched Vascaroon lay it on top of one of the branches next to the fire. Passing some meat up, they both eat in satisfying silence. When the meal was done, Vascaroon checked his jerkin, happy with damp dried up, he placed his cloak on the branch and returned to Angelin who was leaning on a nearby rock.

"Is my cloak ready?" she asked.

"No it will take at least another hour, to fully dry it off and to cause the night bugs to detach and look for somewhere cooler." A look of disgust crossed Angelin's face.

"Night bugs on my cloak!" she exclaimed.

"Yes they would attach during the night clinging to your body temperature." he explained.

"Surely, the cloak beside the fire would be the perfect warmth for them."

"It is too hot, animals can be just as picky as humans are. They will gradually be making there way from your cloak or the ones that can fly will use there wings and find the next warm spot."

"Stop! I don't want to hear anymore." she blocked her ears and started shaking her head, her laughter filling the jungle. Vascaroon smiled to himself. She couldn't be evil, could she?

----

Magroon looked around, the sky was dark and the night cold.

"How long was I out?" she thought to herself. A sudden pain burst through her head, the temples throbbed like a heart beat in her head. A weird low hum could be heard also in her head.

"Human I may have you use for you yet." the voice was sibilant and unmistakable. The red beast that had attacked her with such power.

"Where are you?" Magroon searched frantically in the dark, her hands trailing along the grassy ground.

"You will find I am closer than you think." his voice cackled with glee.

"Show yourself!" Magroon's voice croaked. "I am not scared you." she hissed. She was surprised that her voice was strong as her knee's were weak with fear.

"Don't try to fool me human. I feel your fear and it is oh so delicious. But for now, get your emotions in check as they are a nuisance."

"What do my emotions have any effect on you!" she exclaimed.

"Because you see, human, I have junctioned to you. Made myself a home in your brain for as long as I can stand it. When the time comes I will go but for now follow my challenger."

"I need to be getting back to Ethar." she argued.

"It can wait. Do my bidding and I will let you live and I will not destroy Ethar."

"Ha! Even a beast as powerful as you could not destroy Ethar. Your power is weak compared to Hyne's." Now it was Magroon's time to cackle which she did so with glee.

"Hmmm, the challengers can wait. I want to meet this Hyne. Summon me and I will fly us to Ethar."

"Summon you? I don't know how?" Magroon explained.

"Just focus your energy and mind to picturing me. I will do the rest."

"And if I don't? You cannot leave then. Maybe I won't summon you after all. Maybe, you do what I say." Magroon was confident, she had the beast to bend to her will now.

"Listen Human! I can still get out but it would cause great distress which I am not in the mood for and if I did have to force myself out. I would make sure that when I do, that your entrails would be spew over this jungle and the surrounding three's painted crimson with your blood." The threat was spoken with such aggressiveness and confidence that Magroon began to focus on the image she remembered of Diablos. "Get down on one knee as the journey can be taxing."

"What journey?" thought Magroon to herself.

"The journey to our world."

"Your world?" Magroon asked. Her body become light and transparent, her conscious felt abstract like a jig-saw, the pieces of her mind breaking apart and slotting back into each other. A feeling of pure bliss was felt as she disconnected from her body, but was then replaced by a feeling of dread. The scene of the forest shifted before her eyes and was replaced by a barren landscape full of fire and brimstone. The land was arid and rocky, the air humid with heat and the sky was deep red with dark clouds. Magroon looked at her body which was still transparent . A grey horse came into view, gold striped across it's neck. A weird looking being sat upon it, staring through glowing red eyes. He was the same colour as the horse, grey, it was almost like they were attached. He had gold coloured tattoo's adjourned around his chest and his face was painted gold.

"I am Odin. Who are you?" his voice thundered through the fiery landscape.

"I am Magroon. I have happened to appear in this land."

"You have been sent to this land. Who did you summon?" he glared down at her.

"Ah" she stuttered. "He is red coloured and he has black claws extending from his hands. That is all I know."

"Diablos." The name caused shivers down Magroon's back. "We have not seen a human in a millennia. He must have found a portal. Know this human, Diablos is evil beyond reckoning. I can protect you, only if you let me."

"I don't need protection!" she screeched and with that her body snapped back to her world. She was no longer in the forest but was in a scene of death. Bodies lay sewed all over the place, gaping wounds in the shape of claws pierced their bodies. A woman to her right lay twitching and foaming at the mouth, a pretty girl. The settlement was familiar. It was Zebalga.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Mohin and King Zebalga were in the hut. Mohin wore a black i_sidwaba _and his chest was bare. The King as was accustomed wore a gold i_sidwaba _and his large belly on show.

"Today I will accompany you and the army on your training. It will raise morale for them to see me, watching over them."

"A wise choice king." Mohin bowed his bald head. The general knew the real reason behinds the king's interest and it wasn't to raise morale. It was to remind the people who was King. Ever since, the old woman from a thousand worlds had arrived at the settlement, people flocked to see her and to listen to her nonsense stories. She was becoming too popular for the king's likening.

"Where will you be training them today, by the lake?" the king asked.

"No, king, we will train about a couple of miles away from the settlement. "

"Why?" the king asked confused.

"When the battle is fought with Hyne, we will try to keep the battle away from the tribes people so we have been training further away from the settlement. It would be wise to know, our landscape so we could use hidden deeps in the hills, our caves and worst case scenario, an escape route ."

"An escape route! My men will not run, ever or there heads will be cut off and put on display for other cowards to see." The king replied vehemently. Mohin agreed, the Zebalga tribe were not cowards and in past tribe wars, the deserters were hung at the entryway of the settlement for all to see. There bones still hung to this day. King Zebalga called a nearby servant girl to fetch his chocobo. Minutes later, with his pack filled with food and water, he walked to his chocobo. The bird was hawking with low screeches so Zebalga stroked it's golden feathers and beak and spoke softly in its ear. The chocobo turned it's huge head towards the King and cooed gently. The King shifted his weight on top of the bird and when steady began to pat the bird's large and slender neck. The rest of the army about four hundred and fifty were already mounted and were awaiting the King to bellow out the order.

"Ride!" he shouted and kicked the birds gently on it's sides, the chocobo galloped on it's two legs at breakneck speed. The gentle wind felt good on Zebalga's skin and bald head. The sky was a light purple, beginning to show signs of dawn and the red sun began to creep through the distant mountains. Zebalga looked behind him, the long line of golden chocobo's exiting the settlement . From the distance, Zebalga looked at the hanging skeleton's at the entryway and noticed every soldier would cast a glance at the deserters. The royal hut could be seen clearly in the centre. The settlement was surrounded by a wooden fence in a circular shape. Mohin trotted up beside the King.

"Mohin, why build a fencing around the settlement if it has no use in war?" he asked.

"It keeps out thieves and other unsavoury people. Plus we still have about ten guards paroling the entrance and around the fencing. The soldiers know where to protect." Mohin explained.

"I see. When we defeat Hyne, we will destroy that fence and build a new one that will stretch for miles and miles." Zebalga was happy in his ambitious thoughts for the next hour of the ride as they rode through green hills and fields. Mohin stopped his choboco on a stretch of plain landscape. There was a small stream to the right and a long field of vision, all the ways to the distant hazy mountains.

"Here is where we will fight!" he exclaimed. Excited he wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. The day had become hot and his bald head was gleaming with perspiration.

"I like it. A landscape to see the enemy approaching and a water supply beside us enough to quench the thirst of our army for days."

"Exactly king. I will get riders to find the source of the stream and I will look for possible area's in which the enemy may attack from. Burka!" he called to a big bellied bearded man. The man called Burka merely nodded and rounded up five men and galloped up along the stream.

"Well disciplined. I like that Mohin."

"They would fight to death, king." The army sat down and began to eat their food. All soldiers brought rations of Cockatrice meat, Funguar slicing and a water skin. The meat and slicing was thrown into a pot and stewed together. A pot was carried for every ten people but since the King was here, an extra pot was brought just for him. Filling into little bowls made from Adamantoise shell, Mohin poured the king's and then proceeded to pour his.

"Mohin, you are a fine general, your idea's of carrying packs was fantastic but this stew must have been the best." the king laughed good naturedly and slurped loudly at the stew.

"Thank you king, in times of great need you could use less meat and add leaves and other herbs. It fools the belly into believing it is getting a good fill." Mohin looked towards the bending stream, the riders were little specks now. The riders turned a bend and were out of sight. Mohin was anxious to find out everything about the landscape. The flat land could be were they erect the tents, housing five hundred people would be hard.

"There is time yet." thought Mohin. Hyne was just recovering from a war with the Raci, it would take at least another seventy cycles of night before they arrived. But when they did, it would be brutal for both. Mohin had predicted in his head that Hyne would have Arcani woman counted at about a hundred and about at least eight hundred Ethar soldiers with spear and shield. The Zebalga's would be outnumbered but not outmatched. A proud people, the Zebalga tribe had won many wars before hand to claim the best land on the continent. The current King's grandfather, Tracka was a ferocious warlord who expanded as far as Raci and beyond. Tracka was killed by a stray arrow in a battle with the Rabi's, the consequences were awful as Tracka's men slaughtered the tribe with cold hearted vengeance. Tribes people were normally spared but revenge burned deep into the soldiers hearts and they slaughtered everything, burning the settlement to dust. Tracka's son, Buda took over and within three hundred cycles of night was assassinated by surviving Rabi people. Luckily for the tribe, Zebalga in his teens, killed Buda's brother and assumed control of the tribe. A young King, he ruled with an iron fist over the tribe even renaming them to honour his name. He was a great King, Mohin was made general three years ago and a war had not been fought in nearly six. Zebalga had promised peace and prosperity and he duly delivered. Regrettable, Mohin had found himself bored with peace and wanted the aggressiveness and savagery that came with war.

"I will have my great victory." thought Mohin excitedly. Mohin's thoughts were interrupted by the returning riders. They saluted, looking with hungry eyes at the empty food bowls.

"Well?" the general asked.

"Sorry sir, the stream bends around and then goes underground, possibly the source is from the mountains." Burka replied, scratching his beard. The fat man eyes never left the food bowls.

"Possibly, return when your information is useful. Find the source." Mohin ordered. The king noticing the hungry soldiers, gestured them away from Mohin.

"Eat first then find out everything." King Zebalga gestured the men towards his pot. Pouring each one a bit of stew. The men bowed their thanks and eat greedily. Zebalga walked over to Mohin.

"I will take ten men and return to the settlement. I am happy with the preparations for this war. " The king beamed a smile before a faint humming noise could be heard. "What is that?" he asked.

"I don't know but I don't like it. Better get back to the settlement. Quick!" Mohin replied. They galloped at full speed reaching the settlement in about forty minutes and what they saw galled them all. Bodies lay lifeless all over the place, the settlement destroyed, the royal hut smashed in the centre and the fencing merely matchsticks on the ground.

"What? Who the hell did this?" the King bellowed, a rage descending over his chubby face.

"Formation!" Mohin screamed to the soldiers behind him. "Whomever or whatever did this could still be here." The riders bunched together in groups of 24, 8 long, 3 across.

"Search the settlements for survivors." the king bellowed. Riders began looking around while Zebalga went straight for Elix's hut. He found the old woman thrown across the floor, blood flowing out of a gaping wound in her chest. The pretty servant next to her was dead. The king rested his head on the Elix's chest for signs of breathing. Her heart was still working, albeit faint. The king grabbed a blanket and pressed the wound. Elix moaned softly.

"You will be okay." The king's voice was gentle. A soldier came in and bowed gently.

"Sir."

"What!?" the king raged.

"There is an outsider wandering the settlement. She doesn't look like she is from Zebalga. "

"Is he captured?" the king asked.

"It's a she and yes, Mohin has her now." The king rose, patting the soldier on the shoulder and left the hut.

"Stay with her and press the wound, I will get a medic over." the king ordered. He strolled to the entrance way and there was Mohin and the other soldiers, white rage on their faces, punching and kicking the woman.

"Enough!" the king ordered. "Who are you, outsider?"

The woman got up, dusting her black dress and cloak, she turned to the king fear in her eyes. "I am Magroon and I know who destroyed your settlement."


End file.
